Broadcasting receiving apparatus and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

Provided is a broadcasting receiving apparatus and a control method thereof capable of receiving recommendation information, the control method of a broadcasting receiving apparatus receiving recommendation information about a broadcasting program; comparing a time of confirming the recommendation information and a broadcasting time of a recommended program included in the recommendation information; and supplying a function of the broadcasting receiving apparatus for using the recommendation information to correspond to a comparison result. Accordingly, a broadcasting receiving apparatus and a control method thereof capable of supplying a broadcasting service having an improved user convenience is provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/616,580, filed on Nov. 11, 2009, in the United States Patent andTrademark Office, now allowed, which claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2008-0125455, filed on Dec. 10, 2008 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate toa broadcasting receiving apparatus and a control method thereof, andmore particularly, to a broadcasting receiving apparatus and a controlmethod thereof capable of receiving recommendation information.

2. Description of the Related Art

A broadcasting receiving apparatus is an apparatus which processes aninput image signal to be displayed, and includes a set top box whichprocesses a broadcasting signal supplied from a broadcasting station tobe displayed, a television receiver which receives and displays anexternal image signal such as a broadcasting signal, a digital versatiledisk, etc.

Recently, as digital broadcasting is introduced, the broadcastingreceiving apparatus may previously confirm information about a programbroadcasted in each channel by using an electronic program guide (EPG)information supplied from a broadcasting station. Also, as an internetcommunication is developed, the broadcasting receiving apparatus mayreceive a broadcasting signal through a ground wave, a cable, etc., andconcurrently, may be connected to a communication network to enable atwo way communication, or may receive various contents from a servicesupplying server through an internet protocol (IP) based network tosupply to a user.

According to a display environment enabling the two way communication,users may recommend a broadcasting program or contents to other users,and it is necessary to improve a user convenience so that thebroadcasting receiving apparatus can receive this recommendationinformation to satisfy various demands of the users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide abroadcasting receiving apparatus and a control method thereof capable ofsupplying a broadcasting service having an improved user convenience.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can beachieved by providing a control method of a broadcasting receivingapparatus, including: receiving recommendation information about abroadcasting program; comparing a time of confirming the recommendationinformation and a broadcasting time of a recommended program included inthe recommendation information; and supplying a function of thebroadcasting receiving apparatus for using the recommendationinformation to correspond to a comparison result.

The time of confirming the recommendation information may include a timeof confirming at least one of the recommended programs included in therecommendation information.

The supplying the function of the broadcasting receiving apparatus forusing the recommendation information may include generating a userinterface (UI) information, and the UI information may include are-viewing menu if the recommended program is already broadcasted.

The UI information further may include a channel changing menu if therecommended program is currently broadcasted.

The UI information further may include a broadcasting reserving menu ifthe recommended program is scheduled to be broadcasted. The controlmethod of the broadcasting receiving apparatus may further includeprocessing and displaying an input broadcasting signal, and include thebroadcasting time of the recommended program included in therecommendation information with a program guide information included inthe broadcasting signal.

The control method of the broadcasting receiving apparatus may furtherinclude performing a user authentication, wherein the time of confirmingthe recommendation information may include a time at which the userauthentication is completed.

The receiving the recommendation information may include receiving therecommendation information through a communication network. Anotheraspect of the present invention may be achieved by providing abroadcasting receiving apparatus, including: an image processing unitwhich processes an input broadcasting signal; a communicating unit whichreceives a recommendation information about a broadcasting program; anda control unit which compares a time of confirming the recommendationinformation and a broadcasting time of a recommended program included inthe recommendation information, and controls the image processing unitand the communicating unit to supply a function for using therecommendation information to correspond to a comparison result.

The control unit may determine a time of confirming the recommendationinformation as a time of confirming at least one of the recommendedprograms included in the recommendation information.

The broadcasting receiving apparatus may further include a userinterface (UI) generating unit generating a UI information to supply afunction for using the recommendation information, wherein the UIinformation may include a re-viewing menu if the recommended program isalready broadcasted.

The UI information may further include a channel changing menu if therecommended program is currently broadcasted.

The UI information may further include a broadcasting reserving menu ifthe recommended program is scheduled to be broadcasted. The broadcastingsignal input to the image processing unit may include a program guideinformation, and the control unit may compare the broadcasting time ofthe recommended program included in the recommendation information withthe program guide information included in the broadcasting signal.

The broadcasting receiving apparatus may further include a user inputunit for a user authentication, wherein the control unit may determinethe time of confirming the recommendation information as a time at whichthe user authentication is completed.

The communicating unit may receive the recommendation informationthrough a communication network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent and more readily appreciated from the following description ofthe exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a broadcasting receiving apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates recommendation information received to thebroadcasting receiving apparatus according to the exemplary embodimentof the present invention;

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate a user interface (UI) information which suppliesa function for using a recommendation information received to thebroadcasting receiving apparatus according to the present exemplaryembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a control flowchart of the broadcasting receivingapparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elementsthroughout. The exemplary embodiments are described below so as toexplain the present invention by referring to the figures. Repetitivedescription with respect to like elements of different exemplaryembodiments may be omitted for the convenience of clarity.

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a broadcasting receiving apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2illustrates a recommendation information received at the broadcastingreceiving apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate a user interface (UI) informationwhich supplies a function for using recommendation information receivedat the broadcasting receiving apparatus according to the presentexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown therein, a broadcasting receiving apparatus 1 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an imageprocessing unit 20 which processes an input broadcasting signal, acommunicating unit 50 which receives recommendation information 80 aboutat least one broadcasting program, and a control unit 40 which controlsthe image processing unit 20 and the communicating unit 50 to supply afunction for using the received recommendation information 80. Thebroadcasting receiving apparatus 1 according to the present exemplaryembodiment may be implemented as a digital TV, a set top box, a desk topcomputer, a notebook computer, a mobile terminal, a personal digitalassistant (PAD), a plasma display panel (PDP) apparatus, etc. Also, thebroadcasting receiving apparatus 1 according to the present exemplaryembodiment may be configured to be connected to a communication networksuch as an internet, etc., to enable a two way communication. In anexemplary embodiment, the communication network may enable two waycommunications between two users or between a user and a server.Hereinafter, the broadcasting receiving apparatus 1 will exemplarilydescribed to have a tuner 10 receiving a broadcasting signal, and adisplay unit 30 displaying an image signal processed by the imageprocessing unit 20.

The image processing unit 20 processes a broadcasting signal receivedfrom the tuner 10 or an image signal received from an external imagedevice (not shown) such as a digital versatile disk (DVD) to bedisplayed in a display unit 30. That is, the image processing unit 20performs, based on a control of the control unit 40, an analogue todigital (A/D) converting function for converting an image signal ofvarious formats to a digital image signal of a uniform format, a digitaldecoding function, a scaling function receiving a digital image signaland/or an analogue image signal to adjust a vertical frequency,resolution, a screen ratio, etc., to be appropriate to an outputstandard of the display unit 30, and a predetermined format convertingfunction. Also, the image processing unit 20 may process various imagesignals which may be received through the communicating unit 50. Forexample, a program guide information may be included in a broadcastingsignal input to the image processing unit 20.

The display unit 30 displays an image processed by the image processingunit 20 and a user interface (UI) information 90. The display unit 30may be implemented as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel including aliquid crystal, a organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel including anorganic light emitting element, a plasma display panel (PDP), etc.

The communicating unit 50 receives the recommendation information 80from an outside depending on a control of the control unit 40. Forexample, the communicating unit 50 may be connected to a communicationnetwork such as an internet to receive the recommendation information 80from other connecting users, or may be configured to enable a two waycommunication to transmit the recommendation information 80 to otherconnecting users. Also, the communicating unit 50 may be connected tothe communication network to transmit and receive information aboutvarious contents as well as the recommendation information 80. Forexample, a name of a recommended program and a broadcasting time of therecommended program are included in the recommendation information 80received through the communicating unit 50, and one or a plurality ofrecommended programs may be included. In addition, various informationsuch as a recommender, a recommendatory time, a memo of the recommender,etc., may be included, each of which corresponds to the recommendationinformation 80 sent by a recommender to the broadcasting receivingapparatus 1.

The control unit 40 compares a point of time of confirming therecommendation information 80 received through the communicating unit 50and a broadcasting time of a recommended program included in therecommendation information 80, and the control unit 40 supplies afunction to a UI generating unit 60 for using the recommendationinformation corresponding to a result of the comparison. For example,the point of time may be a point of time at which at least one of therecommended programs corresponding to the recommendation information 80is confirmed. However, the point of time of confirming therecommendation information 80 is not limited thereto, and may be a pointof time at which the user completes a user authentication through a userinput unit 70.

If a program guide information is included in a broadcasting signalinput to the image processing unit 20, the control unit 40 may compare abroadcasting time of a recommended program included in therecommendation information 80 with the program guide informationincluded in the received broadcasting signal. Accordingly, if therecommendation information 80 recommended from a recommender is receivedand confirmed after a predetermined time elapses, the broadcasting timeof the recommended program included in the recommendation information 80may be different from the program guide information included in thereceived broadcasting signal, and the broadcasting time of therecommended program included in the recommendation information 80 can becorrected with respect to the program guide information if thebroadcasting time is different.

The broadcasting receiving apparatus 1 may further include the userinput unit 70. The user input unit 70 outputs various control signals tochange a broadcasting channel or control the UI information 90 displayedin the display unit 30 by an operation of a user. The user input unit 70may be implemented as separate short key or touch pad for selectingthese functions, or may be provided a remote control device remotelycommunicating with display unit 30. The short key or the touch pad maybe formed to an outer frame of the display unit 30, and the touch padmay be implemented as a touch panel on the display unit 30. Also, theuser input unit 70 may be implemented as a typical input unit such as akeyboard and a mouse. For example, the user input unit 70 may beprovided to input information such as an ID and a password of a user toallow the user authentication depending on a control of the control unit40. Accordingly, the user can receive the recommendation information 80transmitted to the user after the user confirms that he or she is theintended user for receipt of the recommendation information 80 throughthe user authentication capable of distinguishing other users connectedto the communication network.

The broadcasting receiving apparatus 1 according to the presentexemplary embodiment may further include a UI generating unit 60. The UIgenerating unit 60 may generate various UI information, and display thegenerated UI information, from among the various UI information, in thedisplay unit 30 depending on a control of the control unit 40. Forexample, the UI generating unit 60 may generate the UI information 90 tosupply a function selected from various functions for using the receivedrecommendation information 80.

For example, the UI information 90 may be configured to be generated ifa user selects and confirms at least one recommended program included inthe recommendation information 80. Also, the UI information 90 isexemplarily described to be configured to be generated by each selectedrecommended program, but a plurality of recommended programs may beconfigured to be displayed in a single UI information 90.

The UI information 90 includes a re-viewing menu 93 as shown in FIG. 3if, as determined by the control unit 40, a recommended program includedin the recommendation information 80 has already been broadcasted. TheUI information 90 includes a channel changing menu 95 as shown in FIG. 4if, as determined by the control unit 40, the recommended program iscurrently being broadcasted. The UI information 90 includes abroadcasting reserving menu 97 as shown in FIG. 5 if, as determined bythe control unit 40, the recommended program is scheduled to bebroadcasted at a later point in time. Thus, the control unit 40determines a comparison result by comparing a point of time ofconfirming the recommendation information 80 received through thecommunicating unit 50 and a broadcasting time of a recommended programincluded in the recommendation information 80, and the UI generatingunit 60 generates one of various menus to display on the display unit 30based on the comparison result. Also, the UI information 90 may furtherinclude an image 91 of a recommended program, a name 92 of a recommendedprogram and an operating button 94 as shown in FIG. 3. The operatingbutton 94 may include a deleting button for deleting the UI information90, a broadcasting viewing button for viewing a program currentlybroadcasted, and a returning button for returning to a prior function.However, the UI information 90 is not limited to the configurationillustrated in FIG. 3. Alternatively, at least a part of theconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 3 may be omitted, or other functionsmay be added.

Accordingly, a user can conveniently view a recommended program both ifthe recommendation information 80 recommended from a recommender isreceived and confirmed after a predetermined time elapses, and if therecommendation information 80 recommended from a recommender is directlyreceived and confirmed. That is, if the user is currently operating thedisplay unit 30 and the user directly receives and confirms therecommendation information 80 recommended from the recommender, a pointof time at which the user confirms the recommendation information 80 isalmost the same as a point of time at which the recommender transmitsthe recommendation information 80. Accordingly, if the recommenderrecommends a broadcasting program which is currently broadcasted orscheduled to be broadcasted, since the recommended program included inthe recommendation information 80 which the user receives is alsocurrently broadcasted or scheduled to be broadcasted, it is sufficientto intactly display the information in the UI information 90. However,if the recommendation information 80 recommended from the recommender isreceived and confirmed after some predetermined time elapses, the pointof time at which the user confirms the recommendation information 80 isdifferent from the point of time at which the recommender recommends therecommendation information 80. Accordingly, since it is possible thatthe recommended program included in the recommended program 80 which theuser receives has already been completely broadcasted, the timeconfirming the recommendation information 80 and the broadcasting timeof the recommended program included in the recommendation information 80are compared, and the function using the recommendation information 80is supplied to correspond to a result thereof, thereby improving a userconvenience.

With this configuration, a control method of the broadcasting receivingapparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present inventionwill be described by referring to FIG. 6.

First, the recommendation information 80 about a broadcasting program isreceived (operation S1). In this case, for example, the recommendationinformation 80 is received through the communicating unit 50 connectedwith the communication network, and a user may receive therecommendation information 80 transmitted to the user through a userauthentication.

Then, a point of time at which the recommendation information 80 isconfirmed and a broadcasting time of a recommended program included inthe recommendation information 80 are compared (operation S3). In thiscase, the control unit 40 may determine the point of time at which therecommendation information 80 is confirmed as a point of time at whichat least one of the recommended programs included in the recommendationinformation 80 is confirmed, or as a point of time at which the userauthentication is completed.

Then, a function of the broadcasting receiving apparatus 1 for using therecommendation information 80 is supplied to a display unit 30 tocorrespond to a result of the comparison. In this case, the UIgenerating unit 60 may generate the UI information 90 depending on acontrol of the control unit 40. Also, the UI generating unit 60determines whether the recommended program has already been broadcastedor not (operation S5), and generates the UI information 90 including there-viewing menu 93 if the recommended program has already beenbroadcasted (operation S7). Also, the UI generating unit 60 determineswhether the recommended program is currently being broadcasted or not(operation S9), and generates the UI information 90 including thechannel changing menu 95 if the recommended program is currently beingbroadcasted (operation S11). Also, the UI generating unit 60 generatesthe UI information 90 including the broadcasting reserving menu 97 ifthe recommended program has not been broadcasted and is not currentlybeing broadcasted (operation S13). Also, the control unit 40 may furtherinclude comparing a broadcasting time of a recommended program includedin the recommendation information 80 with a program guide informationincluded in a broadcasting signal.

Accordingly, the broadcasting receiving apparatus 1 according to thepresent exemplary embodiment compares the point of time of confirmingthe recommendation information 80 and the broadcasting time of therecommended program included in the recommendation information 80, andsupplies the function conveniently using the recommendation information80 to correspond to the result thereof if the user receives and confirmsthe recommendation information 80 recommended from the recommender aftera predetermined time elapses, as well as if the user directly receivesand confirms the recommendation information 80 recommended by therecommender, thereby improving a user convenience.

Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope ofwhich is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A broadcasting signal receiving apparatus,comprising: a display; an image processor configured to process thebroadcasting signal; and a controller configured to control the displayto display a list including a plurality of recommended broadcastingprograms, and in response to an input for selecting one of the pluralityof recommended broadcasting programs from the displayed list, if theselected broadcasting program among the plurality of recommendedbroadcasting programs is being broadcasted, configured to display a menuitem for watching the selected broadcasting program without displaying amenu item for reserving the selected broadcasting program and if theselected broadcasting program among the plurality of recommendedbroadcasting programs is scheduled to be broadcasted at a later time,configured to display the menu item for reserving the selectedbroadcasting program without displaying the menu item for watching theselected broadcasting program.
 2. The broadcasting signal receivingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured tochange a channel to a channel corresponding to the selected broadcastingprogram in response to the menu item for watching the selectedbroadcasting program being selected.
 3. The broadcasting signalreceiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input forselecting one of the plurality of recommended broadcasting programs fromthe displayed list is made by a user.
 4. The broadcasting signalreceiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the selectedbroadcasting program among the plurality of recommended broadcastingprograms is being broadcasted, the displayed menu item is a menu itemfor executing a re-viewing function for review of the selectedrecommended broadcasting program.
 5. The broadcasting signal receivingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured tocompare a broadcasting time of the selected recommended broadcastingprogram with a time when the input is received using time informationincluded in the broadcasting signal.
 6. The broadcasting signalreceiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising acommunicator connected to a communications network to transmit andreceive information about various contents and the plurality ofrecommended broadcasting programs.
 7. The broadcasting signal receivingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communicator is configuredto transmit recommendation information to other connected users.